Our Team

Adrianna is primarily responsible for providing direct clinical services through psychosocial support to children, adolescents and teens in bilingual or Spanish-speaking families who have a seriously ill parent.

Adrianna holds Bachelor’s degrees in Religious Studies and Human Development, and Family Studies with an emphasis in Early Childhood Development from The University of Texas at Austin. She is a certified child life specialist (CCLS) and has more than 16 years of experience supporting children affected by serious illness or injury. Adrianna is also an artist who loves yoga and camping with her husband and two children.

Alex Gabbi is a devoted father to his three wonderful kids, Nico, Maya and Luca. After his wife died of cancer, he gave up a successful career in business to focus on making a difference for others in the community in as many ways as possible. This included teaching at the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin and supporting Wonders & Worries. His career encompasses more than 25 years of experience in senior leadership positions with small and Fortune 500 companies in the high-tech, consulting, international business and software arenas. Alex is an avid traveler and enjoys games of strategy. He intends for his children to visit 40 countries and 40 states before they graduate high school. Read more about his story.

Allison is thrilled to join the team at Wonders & Worries. She has a passion for those in need and is dedicated to growing organizations involving positive impact on children and their ability to thrive under unforeseen circumstances. She was first introduced to Wonders and Worries when invited to Heather Gabbi’s Celebration of Life Toga Party. She followed Heather’s journey through a close friend and connected with the heart of the mission.

Allison played softball at the University of Arkansas and attributes her experiences as a foundation of teamwork and dedication to what guides her today. She moved to Austin in 2001, pursuing a career in education. She received an amazing opportunity to work for Dell Family Interest. With an active passion for children and education, this was a wonderful opportunity. She gained valuable experience traveling the world, being a school liaison, coordinating events, and doing philanthropy work.

Allison and her husband have three children: one in college, one in high school, and one in middle school. She enjoys watching the many sports and activities their children play and spending as much family time as possible in the mountains.

Ashley Blackmon has been a Certified Child Life Specialist for more than eight years. She graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences. She completed her internship at St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital in Boise, Idaho. She has worked at Methodist Children’s Hospital in San Antonio, Texas and McLane Children’s Hospital in Temple, Texas. In both hospitals, her primary unit was the Emergency Department and she enjoyed helping children and families through some of their most difficult days. Her favorite part of her most recent role was as facility dog handler for the child life facility dog, Lorenzo. Ashley loves her role with the Wonders & Worries team, and looks forward to continuing to help children and their families in a different setting.

In her free time, Ashley enjoys spending time with her husband, baby, and two golden retrievers. They like to hike, travel, and cook together!

Ashley joined the Wonders & Worries Austin team with over five years of experience as a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS). Ashley received her bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from The University of Texas at San Antonio and her Masters of Science with a major in Family and Child Studies from Texas State University. She has previously worked at The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio in the Emergency Department.

Ashley is married to her high school sweetheart and has a four year old son. In her off time she enjoys traveling with her husband and son, especially when it involves going to Disney World. She also enjoys cooking, trying new restaurants around Austin and taking her son and dog to the park.

After graduating with a BA in accounting, Beth worked in accounting for a number of years. When she became a full-time mom, she continued doing bookkeeping for her husband’s business. During the 12 years of raising two daughters, Beth had the opportunity to volunteer for many different organizations and became passionate about nonprofit work. For her second career, Beth managed the Texas Retired Teachers Foundation, gaining experience in fundraising and donor relationship management while overseeing the foundation’s four charitable programs. She continues serving on the Board of Directors of Art From the Streets. Beth’s hidden talent is that she knows how to milk a cow.

Brent’s love for organizations benefiting children started in college. While at Southwestern University, he spent his summers as the boys’ camp counselor at Peaceable Kingdom, a camp for children with chronic illnesses and special needs. Brent also interned at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston with the Child Life team, getting to experience all aspects of the hospital – ER, Cancer and Hematology, PICU, NICU, and Surgery.

After college, Brent went to work for Dell Inc in sales. During his 20-year tenure as a sales executive, he continued to give back to the community, helping create the Children’s Trust of Central Texas, serving on the board of Upper Ninety (now 4ATX Foundation), coaching and serving on the board of the West Austin Youth Association, and Wonders & Worries, where he served on the board from 2014 – 2023, with the last three years as Board President. Brent’s desire to help children and teenagers led him to join Wonders & Worries as our Director of Development for San Antonio.

Christina “Chris” Castro joined Wonders & Worries with over 15 years of experience working with diverse communities providing varied types of psychosocial support and with more than 8 years of experience working in hospital settings, including the pediatric oncology clinic. She graduated with honors earning a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Music Production from Cedar Crest College and LA Film School. She has worked at the top children’s hospitals in both NJ and TX.

Chris is also a Restorative Care Manager for an anti-human trafficking non-profit organization. Chris enjoys mentoring women at her local church. She loves to read, paint, and learn about different cultures. Chris has been called a deep thinker and a great listener by those who know and work with her.

Cindy joins Wonders & Worries with more than 28 years of experience, having served in numerous hospitals supporting the psychosocial needs of pediatric patients and their families. She is bilingual in English and Spanish and a passionate champion for Spanish-speaking communities. Cindy has her bachelor of science in Early Childhood and Family Relationships, and a Master of education in Special Education, both from the University of Texas. She is a certified child life specialist (CCLS) and recently started teaching an Introduction to Child Life course at UT.

Cindy volunteers with Operation Smile on international medical missions and serves on the Standish Foundation advisory board. Cindy has been married 25 years and enjoys spending time on the lake and running.

Danielle is a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) at the Houston office. Danielle has over 10 years of experience supporting children and families at Wonders & Worries as well as Texas Children’s Hospital. Danielle holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Texas A&M University and a Master of Science in Human Development and Family Studies from Texas State University.

Danielle and her husband have two beautiful children. Their oldest daughter was adopted at birth and their younger son was born just eight months later. They value family time outdoors either camping, hiking, or bike riding.

Deanna Smith has been a child life specialist (CCLS) since 2005. She graduated from Lubbock Christian University. Deanna started professionally at Children’s Medical Center Dallas as a child life fellow and then permanently on the GI unit. Most recently, she worked at Children’s Hospital of San Antonio on the cardiac unit before joining Wonders & Worries in 2017. Deanna lives in San Antonio, but oversees the Austin, Houston, and San Antonio programming!

Deanna also teaches yoga. With spare time, she enjoys relaxing with her husband and two little girls—whether it’s hiking, reading, traveling, or just being outdoors! Deanna’s favorite indulgence is anything chocolate!

Denee joins Wonders & Worries with 16 years of hospital child life experience.  She worked at Cook Children’s Hospital in Fort Worth & Methodist Children’s Hospital in San Antonio for most of those years. There she fell in love with and worked with HEM/ONC & BMT Pediatric patients. One of her favorite things about working with this population was helping the patients feel comfortable in their new everyday “normal” activities outside of the hospital. She is passionate about making children feel joy in the midst of hardships, even if its just a small smile. She has a BA in Child Psychology from UTSA.

Denee is married and has two children; a daughter who loves to cook and swim, and a son who loves reptiles & making others laugh.  In her off time she enjoys reading, listening to music, and working on any craft she can get her hands on. Her idea of a perfect night would be playing board games with her family & eating take out!

Elyse is a native Austinite joining Wonders & Worries with 25 years of experience in the field. She graduated with honors from Mary Baldwin University with a degree in child psychology and a certification in elementary education. She started her career in Austin as a kindergarten teacher at Bryker Woods Elementary. Since 2007 Elyse has been working in hospitals as a CCLS and is returning home after 15 years in the Bay Area. While working for Stanford Children’s Hospital and USCF Benioff Children’s Hospital she worked in oncology, inpatient pediatrics, emergency department, NICU, surgery and supporting children in the adult ICU. She also organized hematology/oncology camp at St. Dorothy’s Rest for six summers in Camp Meeker, CA. Most recently, she managed pediatric events in the hospital including Prom for over 250 bay area teens that had missed their own prom due to illness or injury.

Elyse is on the board of Mural Wish and Storytime Friends and is passionate about sharing her child life expertise to advise organizations that support hospitalized children and families cope with illness and loss.

Elyse is excited to be back in Austin raising her two children, ages 5 and 8. She loves antiquing and travel. She especially tries to spend time in Santa Fe, New Mexico any opportunity she gets.

Francine has been a Certified Child Life Specialist since 2011. She joined the Wonders & Worries team in 2019. Previously, Francine worked at Christus Children’s hospital in the Surgical unit and Emergency Department. She received a BS in Education and a MS Clinical Mental Health Counseling from UTSA. She obtained her temporary license and is working towards becoming an LPC.

Francine spends her downtime going on hikes, trying new breweries, and restaurants. She enjoys reading, drawing, yoga and spending time with her dogs Russell and Rex.

Haleigh joins Wonders & Worries with 5 years of experience as a Certified Child Life Specialist in Houston. She has hospital experience from Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital and Texas Children’s Hospital, where she worked with families in both the emergency department and the pediatric intensive care unit. Haleigh holds a bachelor’s degree in Education from Millsaps College and a Master of science in Human Development and Family Studies from Texas State University.

Haleigh values time with her husband and family. In her free time, she enjoys CrossFit, traveling, baking, and exploring new Houston spots with friends.

Heike joined Wonders & Worries with more than a decade of marketing experience in the retail technology industry. A German native, she received her degree in Business and Marketing in Berlin, Germany. She has had the unique opportunity to work in diverse markets such as Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States, collaborating with global teams to devise and implement effective marketing strategies.

Heike is also a passionate entrepreneur who has successfully run a photography business in recent years. She has found great joy and purpose in volunteering at her kids’ school and through various local service organizations. This passion for helping and making a difference in people’s lives has ignited her desire to join Wonders & Worries to help grow their mission and extend their services into a larger territory.

Heike has called Austin home for the past 25 years but considers herself a global citizen. When she’s not busy with her family or behind the camera, you will probably find her somewhere outdoors; gardening, exercising, running at one of the many local parks, or playing with her two rescue pups. She loves traveling and always has a growing list of destinations on her bucket list.

Jessica Mendoza is excited to join Wonders & Worries as the Director of Development & Outreach – San Antonio. With over a decade of experience in the nonprofit sector, Jessica is deeply passionate about helping organizations amplify their social impact and build lasting connections in the community.
Her journey with Wonders & Worries is rooted in personal experience. Growing up, Jessica saw firsthand the incredible impact of child life specialists when her younger brother was diagnosed with leukemia at just nine years old. This experience ignited her commitment to advocate for children and families facing health challenges, and it continues to drive her work today.
At Wonders & Worries, Jessica combines her expertise in innovative fundraising and partnership development to create tailored strategies that truly resonate with the organization’s mission. She believes in the power of data-driven insights and genuine relationship cultivation to fuel growth and strengthen donor relationships, ensuring that every effort is impactful.
Jessica is especially passionate about providing equitable support for families from all economic backgrounds, races, and geographic locations, ensuring that everyone has access to the care they need. She understands that a supportive network is crucial for families navigating difficult times, and she is dedicated to breaking down barriers to care. Jessica’s passion also motivated her to start a consulting business to support the nonprofit community.
Beyond her professional pursuits, Jessica is a proud mother of four, including a 19-year-old son in the United States Marine Corps, two daughters in college (ages 19 and 22), an active nine-year-old daughter, and her beloved dog, Lucky. She enjoys reading, river and beach days, traveling, and spending time with family.

Julie joined the Wonders & Worries team with more than 15 years of clinical experience supporting children and their families as they navigate the medical journey. She treasures her many years as a child life specialist at Baylor’s Our Children’s House in Dallas, Texas, serving families in need of medicine and rehabilitation services. For the past seven years, Julie served in a senior leadership role on the child life team at Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas. She holds a bachelor of science in Human Development and Family Sciences from the University of Texas at Austin.

Julie is also known as “Mom!” to four crazy kiddos of her own. She and her husband enjoy camping and exploring the awesome hill country with their children and silly golden retriever. Julie has a knack for repurposing old furniture, which led to the creation of her own furniture design company, Firefly Skies. Climber of trees and often covered in paint, Julie is always up for an adventure.

Katie Hart has worked as a child life specialist since 2016. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Family Studies and Human Development from the University of Arizona and then earned her Master of Arts in Education with an emphasis on Child Life in Hospitals from Mills College. She completed a child life internship at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and has worked at various hospitals throughout the country, including Valley Children’s Healthcare, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and UC Davis Health, where she has experience working with patients of all ages and diagnoses. She joined the Wonders & Worries team in 2024 as the Clinical Project Coordinator, where she is passionate about helping our team implement various program initiatives, national outreach, and research endeavors.

In her free time, Katie likes to spend time with her dog and husband. She can typically be found at a yoga class, watching baseball, hiking, or skiing, and enjoys cooking as well as listening to podcasts.

Kim has been a child life specialist for more than 30 years. She started her career at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas and worked with seriously ill children and their families for nine years. Kim moved to Austin and joined the Wonders & Worries team in 2003. Kim now serves as national program director, a role that provides her the privilege of overseeing our national Helpline 844-WE-WONDER, supporting our growing network of Registered Wonders & Worries Providers (RWWP’s), facilitating WonderChats for Parents, and promoting Wonders & Worries many resources. Kim holds a bachelor’s degree in Family Relations and Child Development and masters’ degrees in both Human Development and Family Studies and Counseling with a play therapy emphasis. 

Kim is married to her high school sweetheart, who proposed underwater while they were scuba diving. They have a young adult daughter, young adult son, and an Australian Shepherd. Kim is adventurous and loves the outdoors. She is a certified scuba diver, avid hiker, snow skier, water skier, and has jumped out of a plane. She also enjoys watching college football and relaxing with a good book. 

Kira March has been a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) since 2014.  She started her career as a CCLS supporting patients and families at Texas Children’s Hospital on an inpatient general pediatrics unit after completing an internship at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She joyously joined the Wonders & Worries team in 2022 where she is able to purse her passion for play and empowering children.  Kira graduated from The University of Texas with a Bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Sciences, focusing on child development. Kira is an avid reader, always outside, and never turns down a good meal.  When not at work, she can be found barefoot in the sunshine with her two children and husband.

Leah joins the Wonders and Worries team with 23 years of clinical child life experience providing support to children and families with a variety of patient populations including pediatric oncology, NICU, general pediatrics, and PICU. She has also worked with children of adult patients in ICU and Labor and Delivery. She is a graduate of Baylor University where she received her Bachelors Degree in Family and Consumer Sciences in 1998. Leah began her career as a Certified Child Life Specialist at The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. She came back home to Texas a few years later, joining the Child Life Team at CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital.  Most recently she has been working with children and families at Baptist Children’s Hospital at North Central.

Leah enjoys running, traveling and spending time with her husband and three daughters. In addition to her professional work, Leah enjoys volunteering as a program assistant with Camp Discovery, a camp for children with pediatric cancer. 

Leslie comes to us from Houston where she managed special events for the American Red Cross. She is married to her college sweetheart and has two adult children. Leslie graduated from the University of Houston and is very active in the Cougar Austin Alumni Group.  Leslie enjoys traveling and spending time with family. If you can’t find her doing any of those things, she will probably be by the pool reading a book or visiting her favorite winery in Fredericksburg.

During her children’s school years, she was very active in the PTA as well as the classroom, and volunteered with multiple organizations. That time spent helping others solidified her love of philanthropies and desire to work for a non-profit.

Lori Novitski has 20 years of experience as a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) and as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS). She graduated from Texas State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Recreation Administration with a Therapeutic Emphasis. Lori completed her child life internship at CHRISTUS Children’s Hospital in San Antonio, where she was then employed full-time for 15 years and PRN for five years.   Her primary units were Special Medicine and the Emergency Department. While working inpatient on the Special Medicine unit, Lori developed a passion for working with patients on physical rehabilitation and patients with Cystic Fibrosis. Lori also developed a love for the unpredictable and action-packed pediatric Emergency Department.

In her free time, Lori enjoys family game nights and traveling with her husband and twin daughters.

Maria Patiño graduated from The University of Texas at Austin in 2013 with a degree in Human Development and Family Sciences. She completed her child life practicum with Wonders & Worries, and is applying for her child life internship, the next step to becoming a certified child life specialist (CCLS). Maria volunteers with Dell Children’s Medical Center, the Down Syndrome Association of Central Texas and El Buen Samaritano. Maria is fluent in English and Spanish, and her superpower is creating delicious vegan baked goods.

Melissa has been a child life specialist for over 30 years with her primary area of clinical expertise in the oncology arena. Prior to co-founding Wonders & Worries, she worked at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore, Maryland and the AFLAC Cancer Center at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. In addition to hospital-based practice, Melissa has also worked in private practice/consulting as well as being a psychosocial program director for Camp Sunshine in Atlanta, GA and a school counselor.  Melissa has also served on several non-profit Board of Directors. In addition to chairing many committees and a task force, Melissa has been the President of the Association for Child Life Professionals (ACLP), a Director on the ACLP Board, and the Child Life Certification Chairperson.   She was honored to receive the Child Life Council Distinguished Service Award in 2010.

Melissa earned a BS in Individual and Family Studies from the University of Delaware and a MS in Counseling from Georgia State University. She was awarded the Presidential Citation for Outstanding Achievement (2001) and the Outstanding Alumni Award for the College of Human Services, Education and Public Policy (2002) at the University of Delaware.

She has published in journals and textbooks on the topics of children impacted by cancer, coping with chronic illness in children and child life practice in alternate settings. Melissa has presented on these topics at the university level, professional conferences, to medical staff and to parents.

Melissa is a certified child life specialist, a licensed clinical mental health counselor and a registered play therapist & supervisor. She lives in Raleigh, North Carolina and in her free time enjoys spending time with family and friends on Cape Cod.

Former Executive Director and Co-Founder Meredith Cooper envisioned, launched, and grew Wonders & Worries from its beginnings in 2001. Following 15 years of success, Meredith stepped into a founder role in 2017, where she continues providing strategic direction for national growth. Meredith has a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Child Development. She is a certified Child Life Specialist and a Licensed Professional Counselor who has been involved with children’s healthcare in the Austin community for more than 30 years, including being the first pediatric oncology child life specialist for Austin.

Michele Martin has over 20 years of experience providing emotional and developmental support for children and families in health care environments. Michele has worked as a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) for the Children’s Medical Center of Dallas; as a mental health consultant for Head Start; and as a middle-school science teacher at Bishop Garriga Middle Preparatory School. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a Master of Science degree in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of North Texas. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at Abilene Christian University. She also has her teacher’s certification for the 4th – 8th grades. Her husband, four children, and grandson are her pride and joy!

Michelle began her career as a Financial Analyst in Memphis, Tennessee after graduating with a BBA in Finance from the University of Mississippi. She spent 10 years honing her skills in the financial market while also developing a passion for children’s health and education through various volunteer organizations. After the birth of her two children, Michelle moved into child centric non-profit work. She spent many years working for the Youth Education Department at the Memphis Botanic Garden as a Festival Director where she developed fundraising and volunteer management skills and enhanced her knowledge of budgeting for large events. Most recently, she specialized in managing donor relations in the Child Life and Expressive Therapies Department at Dell Children’s Medical Center.

Michelle’s journey that led her to Wonders & Worries began in her childhood. As the daughter of a terminally ill father that passed away when she was a teenager, she recognizes from a unique viewpoint the importance and impact of the work we do in supporting the Texas community.

In early spring Michelle returns home to ride in the Krewe of Iris parade, the oldest and largest all female Mardi Gras Krewe in New Orleans. She loves painting, Pilates, and Ole Miss and New Orleans Saints football.

Nicole Halder is the Senior Director of Development & Outreach for Central Texas, where she oversees a dedicated team that raises funds and awareness for Wonders & Worries. With a passion for helping organizations create exceptional services for children in challenging environments, Nicole focuses on developing strategic partnerships to support the expansion of Wonders & Worries.

Nicole holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance and International Operations from Georgetown University and a Master’s in Elementary Education from Columbia University. Her professional journey reflects her commitment to education and community development. In addition to her current role, Nicole serves on the Steering Committee for the Westlake Chamber of Commerce and has previously held the position of President of the Board of Directors of Wonders & Worries. Outside of her professional life, Nicole enjoys cooking, gardening, traveling, and raising her three children with her husband Rob in Austin, Texas.

After a career supporting nonprofits in the private sector, Nikki Rosenberg is thrilled to join the team at Wonders & Worries. While she loves her current business and working with a variety of clients, she feels most fulfilled when furthering a mission in which she believes. She intends to utilize her skills from working in various roles over the years to implement a successful development plan for the Houston market, including a robust (and incredibly fun) events program.

Born in South Africa, Rosenberg thanks her parents for getting her to Houston as quickly as possible. She attended St. John’s School for 13 years, followed by St. John’s College in Annapolis, MD. Presently, she resides at Park St. John condominiums and plans to retire to the Isle of St. John.

As a former client of Wonders & Worries, Suzi is passionate about its mission. Having battled breast cancer in 2014, Suzi found that her daughters’ experiences attending Wonders & Worries group sessions were a silver lining in the cancer battle. She is excited to serve Wonders & Worries as the Donor Relations Manager and help further its mission of making sure no family struggles alone with parental illness.

Suzi and her college sweetheart Brian have two beautiful daughters, one in high school and one in college. Suzi enjoys traveling with her family, snowshoeing in the mountains of Colorado, exercising, volunteering, playing with her two adorable dogs, and getting creative in her craft room.

Tatiana Sokolik is honored to be a part of the Wonders & Worries team, where her passion and dedication to supporting those in need and fostering meaningful connections can be utilized to make a wide-reaching, positive impact.

Tatiana holds a Master’s of Educational Leadership and is currently pursuing her doctoral degree, with her dissertation focused on adolescent mental health.

In addition to her work at Wonders & Worries, Tatiana serves on the board of directors and fundraising committee for Divine Canines, an organization that provides free therapy dog services to those in need in Central Texas. Tatiana and her teenager, Sloan, love to volunteer their time with their two therapy dogs, Venkman and Spengler.

Taylor joins Wonders & Worries with a diverse background providing psychosocial support within our community since 2016 as a Certified Child Life Specialist. Taylor started her child life career at Dell Children’s Medical Center in the pediatric oncology clinic before working for several years in the pediatric emergency department. Taylor recently provided psychosocial support to children at Bluebonnet Trails Community Services in the Youth Therapeutic Respite Program. Taylor obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development and Family Studies with a child life concentration from The University of Alabama and her Master of Science Degree in Human Development and Family Studies from Texas State University.

In her spare time, Taylor enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter and two dogs. Taylor and her family enjoy traveling, watching sporting events and spending time outdoors such as skiing and hiking.

Whitney Dubuisson has been a certified child life specialist since 2009 in both Dallas and Houston. She previously served families in the inpatient oncology unit at Children’s Health: Children’s Medical Center Dallas. A graduate of Baylor University with a bachelor’s degree in Child and Family Studies, she completed a master’s degree in education from Texas Woman’s University and now teaches as an adjunct professor in the child life program. A native Austinite, Whitney is honored to expand the mission of Wonders & Worries into Houston—the city she has made home with her husband and two children. In her free time, you may find Whitney searching for antiques, reading historical fiction, walking her spaniel Rosie, or cheering her kids on!